image from sites.psu.edu
The Dead Sea
“Destruction is man’s will; nevertheless remember
prevention can also be man’s will.”
--Babu Rajan.
Global warming is not our only problem with our
besieged oceans, nor are oil spills. After using our
seas as a toilet for thousands of years, it is man’s
garbage that is the primary culprit. We let 1.4
billion pounds of trash per year enter the ocean.
In addition there is run-off pollution, called non-
point sources.
I love seeing images of fish & marine life snarled in
plastic refuse. There is a proliferation of micro-
plastics, pieces a few millimeters in size, just below
the surface, from coastal garbage patches clear to
the Arctic sea ice. Many pollutants create algae
bloom, which in turn creates a dead zone. Habitats
& reefs, normally teeming with life, are becoming inert
biological deserts.
The sea is dying;
we are to blame--but it is
not too late to act.
Glenn Buttkus
Posted over at dVerse Poets Pub--Haibun
I think we can still act too... small steps are being taken despite that there are politicians trying to stop us...
ReplyDeleteI find it distressing to see the ocean filled with our plastic garbage. Yes, and we are to blame for it, sadly.
ReplyDeleteWe are to blame with our obsession with everything plastic. toys, dishes, glasses, clothing...I don't see much of the plastic is the waters around here though. the lakes are still pristine, the creeks are clear and funning, the ponds are happy...only in the city do I see plastic crap racing down the gutters during a hard rain and of course, the plastic garbage on the side of the roads and in the yards of young suburbia.
ReplyDeleteWe have to give up our plastic addiction. The sea is so big, it's hard to believe we have an impact, but of course we do - and now it's impacting on us, too, so maybe people will start to act.
ReplyDeleteI hope you're right, Glenn. I fear the plastic deniers still have too much influence though.
ReplyDeleteI hope it is not too late either.
ReplyDeleteOh Glenn, we've done it again! I have also written about polluted oceans, but from a different angle. Your haiku is spot-on.
ReplyDeleteI hope it is not to late Glenn, but fear that it might be...
ReplyDeleteAnna :o]
A prophetic reminder of our grave responsibility, and lack thereof!
ReplyDeleteThank you for writing about this, it's a subject close to my heart. And you are right, we have power to prevent it and we must not become overwhelmed by the problem but keep working on it.
ReplyDeleteThe environmental theme is wonderful and creatively written.
ReplyDeleteI think we can still do something too. Hope.
ReplyDeleteSigh, this is a sad reality indeed.
ReplyDeleteKeen observation as always Glenn.The sad reality is that this plastic is already here and going nowhere. We continue today to pollute in the same way. We are not changing enough.I'm not even sure we are slowing down the rate at which we damage.
ReplyDeleteOh Glenn, the sea and sea life is fine. Organisms have flourished and died -- killed and be killed for millions and millions of years.
ReplyDeleteExtinctions lead to more life, different variety.
We need not lament life, no lament mother earth
We must admit that we only lament ourselves -- we are extinguishing ourselves.
But is it such a great loss -- well sure, to us, but the universe cares not.
I hope it is not too late. We all have to act individually by our own conscience. We cannot expect leaders to be wise or do the right thing.
ReplyDeleteI hate the thought of how toxic we have made it no just for the sea and the sea life but other creatures too. I don't know if there is adaptation, but we don't really need all this plastic stuff do we... We just seem to be mesmerised by it all.
ReplyDelete